By Lori EhdeAs a family physician and mother of three girls, Dr. Diane Kennedy knows a thing or two about parenting.And, as someone who survived adolescence and is now guiding her own girls through the transition, she knows a thing or two about how hormones affect the female body.For this reason, Community Education asked Kennedy to lead a seminar called "Mother Daughter Talk."It’s scheduled for 7 to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, in the Luverne Elementary School commons area.Kennedy said the event, structured as a discussion session, will address physical and developmental changes that occur throughout adolescence and how those affect emotions and relationships.Mothers will attend the class along with their adolescent daughters, and discussion will focus on what the phase is like for both of them."From the parenting perspective, no matter what your child’s doing, it’s probably normal," Kennedy said. "I hope to reassure that yes, those changes are occurring, and yes, they’re causing chaos in the family, but they’re just part of normal development and it’s what allows girls to become independent productive young women."She’ll also offer tips for parenting adolescent girls."I hope to empower parents that it’s appropriate to parent at this time," she said. "The hardest thing in the role of parenting is that you can’t be their best friend. You have to set rules and limits and still have expectations … and those have to be appropriate expectations."She said girls will get equal time to be heard."We’ll address the turmoil they’re going through in their relationships with their parents," Kennedy said. "… and their relationships with their friends is in constant turmoil and chaos."To register for the class, call Community Education at 283-4724."What we’re hoping for is that they get to the other side with their self-esteem in tact and respect for themselves, their parents and their peers," Kennedy said.
